Overview

• Surrey Police Service has formed a specialized extortion investigations team in response to at least ten threats against the South Asian community over the past six months.
• Officers are collaborating with provincial and national RCMP to coordinate investigations alongside other Canadian jurisdictions facing similar threats.
• Police link last year’s extortion campaign, which led to arsons and shootings, to organized crime groups operating out of Punjab, India.
• RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat warned that some victims may have paid demands without reporting them and urged anyone targeted to contact authorities.
• The new unit will participate in a community safety forum this Sunday to build trust and educate residents on avoiding and reporting extortion attempts.